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2024-25 Licensing

  • Licensing for the upcoming school year opens May 1, 2024.
  • Processing Fee will be added after June 30, 2024.
  • Late Registration Windows (no processing fee for officials that were not licensed the past year)
    • September 15 - 30
    • January 1 - 15
  • Submit the online licensing application and pay fees. To access the online application, go under Officials and select Online Licensing. Note: If you will be a high school student for the upcoming school year, you do not have to pay any licensing fees but you must license through your high school athletic director.  Each student is allowed free rules books for up to 2 sports.  If choosing more than 2 sports, each additional sport's rule book will have to be paid for by the student.
  • Once the application is received, you will receive an email from the WIAA indicating that you need to complete the Authorization Form for a Background Check (there will be a link in the email to this form). If you completed the background check within the past 5 years, you will not be required to complete it.  Note: High school students are not required to complete the background check.
  • If a background check is needed, once the WIAA receives the background check results, the application will be processed. If no background check is needed, your application will be processed immediately.
  • Rules books and exam/video information will be sent about 6-8 weeks prior to the start of the season.
  • Online rules exams and videos will be available on the WIAA website about 6-8 weeks prior to the start of the season.  In order to advance in classification, officials need to complete the exam by indicated date (and score the required percentage) and watch the rules video by indicated deadline date every year. In order to advance to L5 and Master officials need to have the required amount of varsity contests listed in their profile. 
  • A detailed description of all classification advancement requirements can be found in the Guide for Officials - click here to access the Guide.
  • An officials license is good from August 1 to July 31.  The renewal period for the next year starts May 1.  
  • The WIAA does not assign officials to regular season contests; that is done by either the high school athletic director or the conference commissioner.  Contact your local high school athletic director to let them know you are licensed and ready for assignments.
  • If there is an official's association in your area, it is highly recommended you join the association. Being a member of an association is very beneficial as they oftentimes provide additional training and can help in getting you game assignments.
  • Officials are independent contractors and not employees of the WIAA or its member schools.

Approved Camps and Clinics

News and Updates

NFHS - Officials' Considerations for Returning to Officiate
As state associations are formulating plans for restarting sports this fall, there have been requests for sport-specific rules and officials considerations that might help to reduce the potential spread of the virus. The NFHS Officials Advisory Committee has worked to develop the Officials Considerations for states to utilize as they formulate their own plans.  These suggestions have been approved by the NFHS SMAC. Since the Guidance for Opening Up High School Athletics and Activities document addresses general principles related to practices, locker rooms and equipment, these sport-specific suggestions focus on potential rules considerations during actual competition. The NFHS understands that additional considerations to the playing and administrative rules may be applied by state associations during the 2020-21 school year to minimize risk.  To access these Guidelines click here.

Entering Schedule
A few reminders for officials when entering varsity schedules into your profile information:
1.  Only enter varsity schedules (non-varsity events cannot be entered).
2.  Scheduled events should be entered before the contest takes place so that coaches are able to rank you on a timely basis. Games cannot be entered once the season is over. 
3.  In a multi-school event, do not guess what teams are participating based on prior participants.  If you do not know all the teams at the time you receive your contract, you can still enter the event but please go back in and add the participating teams within 12 hours after the event.

W-9 Forms Required by Officials
Officials are required to have on file a W9 form with all schools they are contracted to officiate at.  It’s the law.  When asked to complete this form please comply with the request of the school business office.  If you do not comply, payment may be withheld or delayed.  In discussions WIAA Executive Director Dave Anderson has had with Mr. Woody Wiedenhoeft, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Association of School Business Officials, Mr. Wiedenhoeft stated “the official is breaking the law” by not submitting a W9 upon request.